Review: THE LOVED ONES at Irish Classical Theatre

When worlds collide, drama ensues. And in the new play THE LOVED ONES by Erica Murray, 4 women meet under the most unusual of circumstances. Buffalo's Irish Classical Theatre is presenting the North American Premiere of this 2023 play. And as can be expected, the dark subjects of death, remorse, unwed mothers and lives lived full of heartbreak are no stranger to the often brooding stories that have been told in the Irish Theatre genre.

Murray begins when Gabby, a 7 month pregnant young woman shows up at the doorstep of the mother of the child's father. The crux lies in the fact that the father (Robin) died 6 months prior, leaving a wife and also this former mistress ( who just  happened to have been his University student). Nell, the perplexed mother of the deceased can't fathom why this pregnant stranger  would travel from London to rural Ireland, sharing her tale of woe. Coincidentally, Robin's wife Orla is also expected to arrive that same day. Nell's house is turned topsy turvy, trying to shoo Gabby away, while also contending with a loud mouth American  AirBnB renter (Cheryl-Ann) who is staying with her.

Each of these women bring their own personal backstories to the forefront. Nell herself was an unwed mother, and her now dead son was the lone true glimmer of happiness in her life. Gabby is convinced her own parents would never accept her pregnancy and fashions a plan to stay with Nell until the baby is born, and then she will give the child up for adoption. But as easily as Gabby became pregnant, Orla has battled IVF and 4 ill fated pregnancies. Her "inhospitable" womb, as the doctor's said, was the reason. But a sample of Robin's sperm remains, and Orla is convinced that this time she can have a child, albeit as a single parent.

Eileen Dugan shines with a balance of brusqueness and heartbreak. A weathered woman who works a farm and suffers no fools, Dugan digs deep in conveying bewilderment that her beloved son could have acted so poorly in having an affair and impregnating a student. Her own life was hard, and there is little love lost between her and Orla, but the two women are amicable. Dugan's delivers a poignant portrayal of the grieving mother who can't process her grief, alongside the challenges of accepting these newfound facts about her son.

Ember Tate-Steele is the young student Gabby, pregnant and  impulsive. Tate-Steele finds the right amount of naivete to make her a somewhat sympathetic character. That is until she comes face to face with Robin's wife. Here Murray’s script gives an intriguing bit of irony as the two women bond, but Orla has no idea Gabby is her deceased husband’s mistress. The mood is lightened by the character of Cheryl-Ann. She  is an overly talkative, self  absorbed American who is traveling abroad and loves all things Harry Potter and bird related. 

Soon enough Cheryl-Ann spills the beans that Gabby is Robin’s former lover. Confrontations ensue, tempers and emotions run high and Nell reaches her breaking point. Robin’s ashes are the subject of an actual tug of war. Gabby has a medical emergency …and the story continues in Act 2

Rebecca Elkin brings a humanity to the role  of Orla, struggling with her husband's unexpected death, her inability to have child and a newfound issue of infidelity. Elkin gives a finely nuanced performance, as Orla is a  broken woman. She lands the despair and rage spot on, but softens in an unlikely way when Gabby becomes ill and needs hospital care.

Smirna Mercedes as Cheryl-Ann would seem to be the ccomic relief and she does that convincingly. But when the drama slows down and she delves into her own personal story of grief, caring  for her cancer ridden sister and Best Friend, Mercedes shows she is not just a dim witted comic, but a woman struggling with her own grief. Her scene with Dugan, sharing their life stories was beautifully timed, and also filled with some perfect onstage laughter led by Mercedes.

Director Kyle LoConti leads this fabulous foursome through their paces, allowing the drama to simmer until it needs to boil over. The interplay between these unlikely grouped  women ebbs and glows, with tension, relief, and surprising hints of unexpected caring. This is not group of harpies out of a Clare Boothe Luce play, but rather a mix of multi-generational characters sharing life’s challenges through interconnected stories. The result is a satisfying slice of real life that succeeds in focusing on  the bonds that link these four strong, yet vulnerable women.

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